The present application relates generally to a combustion system on a turbomachine; and more particularly to, a method and system for inserting a continuous dynamics monitoring probe about a combustion liner on a combustion gas turbine.
As part of the monitoring controls and diagnostic tools for a combustion system in a gas turbine, combustion dynamics data is typically measured and acquired. The combustion dynamics data is generally used to determine the operational health of the combustion system as a whole and also may be used to tune the combustion system to ensure operation within an appropriate balance between combustion dynamics and emissions.
Combustion dynamics monitoring systems are currently used on many classes of gas turbines. A dependable combustion measurement generally requires accurate and repeatable installation of the measurement tip of the dynamic probe of the combustion dynamics monitoring system. Improperly installed dynamics probes can lead to inaccurate readings of the combustor dynamics, possibly resulting in hardware damage and increased outages. Combustion dynamics monitoring systems typically use a depth-setting tool that assists with an accurate and repeatable installation of the dynamic probe.
There are a few possible problems with the currently known depth-setting tools. The combustion liner and flow sleeve designs vary among combustion systems. This requires a different depth setting tool for certain combustion systems. For example, but not limiting of the invention, some known depth setting tools cannot work with the combustion systems of certain combustion gas turbines sold by General Electric Company of Schenectady, N.Y. Specifically, these combustion systems include a combustion liner that has an opening larger than an opening in the casing wall and the flow sleeve. Furthermore, the combustion liner also has a specific geometry that requires a depth-setting tool with a leg having a step, which allows the tool to easily maneuver through the flow sleeve to contact a surface of the combustion liner. Currently known depth-setting tools cannot maneuver through the specific geometry of the combustion liner, and therefore current tools may allow for an inaccurate measurement of the required length of a dynamics probe.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a depth-setting tool that can accommodate the geometry of certain classes of turbines. The depth-setting tool should provide for an accurate and repeatable installation of a combustion dynamics monitoring system probe and similar types of probes. The tool should include a leg having a step that allows the tool to easily maneuver through the flow sleeve and the combustion liner.